What are some jobs that can help make my resume look good in the future? I'm looking for a part time job to get while I'm in college studying computer science. After college I plan to work as a software engineer for a game company.

I was thinking Gamestop as an option, are there any others I should know about? For example game testing? Though I don't imagine that being very stable.

Thanks.

What are some jobs that can help make my resume look good in the future? I'm looking for a part time job to get while I'm in college studying computer science. After college I plan to work as a software engineer for a game company.

I was thinking Gamestop as an option, are there any others I should know about? For example game testing? Though I don't imagine that being very stable.

Thanks.

Gamestop is not measurably better than other cashier sort of jobs. Working in your college's technical support is better. Doing some contract website work is much better.

[quote name='Vernex' timestamp='1311817903' post='4841398']
What are some jobs that can help make my resume look good in the future? I'm looking for a part time job to get while I'm in college studying computer science. After college I plan to work as a software engineer for a game company.

I was thinking Gamestop as an option, are there any others I should know about? For example game testing? Though I don't imagine that being very stable.

Thanks.

Gamestop is not measurably better than other cashier sort of jobs. Working in your college's technical support is better. Doing some contract website work is much better.
[/quote]

Learning how to write + debug code is better yet. After all, that is what you'd like to be doing, right?

What are some jobs that can help make my resume look good in the future? I'm looking for a part time job to get while I'm in college studying computer science. After college I plan to work as a software engineer for a game company.

I was thinking Gamestop as an option, are there any others I should know about? For example game testing? Though I don't imagine that being very stable.

Thanks.

A resume provides evidence that you can do the job well, and that you will fit in.



ANY job that contributes to one or both of those is a good thing.

If you are looking for a programming job, you would want to provide evidence that you know how to work and program in a professional environment.

Programming does not mean doing QA.
Programming does not mean being a sales clerk.

While those do show you can hold a job (which is good evidence), they don't show you can do the job of a programmer (which is better evidence).

Moving this to Breaking In.

Vern, everything Frob said is correct.

1. What are some jobs that can help make my resume look good in the future?
2. I was thinking Gamestop as an option, are there any others I should know about?
3. For example game testing? Though I don't imagine that being very stable.[/quote]
1. Like Frob said: any job shows that you understand the concept of "job."
2. Yes.
3. "Stable"? You're just looking for a temporary job, right? A part-time job. That doesn't jibe with your desire for something "stable."

You should probably try doing some open source programming at first, there are literally thousands of projects that will more than likely gladly accept your contributions. With that you can get experience in both creating software, fixing bugs, debugging and using version control, which are all necessary if you want to be a successful programmer. Altough ofc usually open source means you will be working for free.
You can try Google Summer of Code next year if Google starts it again, with that you can make some money ( 5000 $ this year for about 3 months of work ), you will have a better chance getting into that program if you are a contributor of the project you want to work on, since then it's easier to write a good proposal. Check out the projects that were participating this year and start contributing to one of the big ones, they will likely participate next year too ( again if Google starts it next year too ).
Other than this I don't know, why would anyone hire someone with no experience? Maybe you should look for an internship?
Anyhow good luck!

why would anyone hire someone with no experience?

Because inexperience is cheap.

Gamestop? I dont see how that correlates to game programming, or programming at all for that matter. It doesnt even relate to game development in any way. There are most likely 8 year olds who know as much about video games as a person in gamestop. Having that on your resume wouldnt be much different to a game company than being a gas station clerk or working in McDonalds.

Gamestop? I dont see how that correlates to game programming, or programming at all for that matter. It doesnt even relate to game development in any way. There are most likely 8 year olds who know as much about video games as a person in gamestop. Having that on your resume wouldnt be much different to a game company than being a gas station clerk or working in McDonalds.

It can show you can hold a job. It can show you know how to work with people. It can show you have some knowledge of games, which could be better than nothing when it comes to a design position or QA.

It provides SOME evidence. It is better than NO evidence.

I also disagree about the McDonalds quip. There is somewhat more expected from a free-form job as a retail sales clerk (such as gamestop) who work through difficult times such as the holiday sales season, than there is at McDonalds where everything is highly standardized and little thought or talent or creativity is required.

Neither provides good evidence toward programming, but when it comes to simply a basic "I can hold a job in the real world", if I saw an intern or entry level worker held a Gamestop job would it would rate marginally higher than a McDonalds job.

[quote name='Joe P' timestamp='1311876453' post='4841739']
Gamestop? I dont see how that correlates to game programming, or programming at all for that matter. It doesnt even relate to game development in any way. There are most likely 8 year olds who know as much about video games as a person in gamestop. Having that on your resume wouldnt be much different to a game company than being a gas station clerk or working in McDonalds.

It can show you can hold a job. It can show you know how to work with people. It can show you have some knowledge of games, which could be better than nothing when it comes to a design position or QA.

It provides SOME evidence. It is better than NO evidence.

I also disagree about the McDonalds quip. There is somewhat more expected from a free-form job as a retail sales clerk (such as gamestop) who work through difficult times such as the holiday sales season, than there is at McDonalds where everything is highly standardized and little thought or talent or creativity is required.

Neither provides good evidence toward programming, but when it comes to simply a basic "I can hold a job in the real world", if I saw an intern or entry level worker held a Gamestop job would it would rate marginally higher than a McDonalds job.
[/quote]

Ok fair and point taken, still though, Gamestop is not the way to game development.If you want something that will attract a technical company, there are far better options. Fixing computers at the schools tech help desk for instance.

Many people know about video games, I dont really think that working at Gamestop shows that you have some enhanced knowledge of video games, especially not on a development/design level. From my experience, the people that work there know things such as "that game sucks dont buy it", or "that games good, you should buy it". Thats about the extent of it.